Truth Behind the Legend
by Tsumira
Summary: A mercinary named Link and a ninja called Shiek. What kind of trouble will Shiek get Link into?
1. Default Chapter

The Legend of Zelda  
  
Truth Behind the Legend  
  
Chapter One. The Key to All Secrets.  
  
Note: LINK-SAAAAAAAAAAMA! LINK-SAAAAAAAAAAAAMA! *runs around Hyrule Field like the insane Link fangirl she is**sad blink**sad blink* Link's not here! *frantically searches for Link**does not find Link* Waaaaaaaaaa! *blink* Oh. *sweatdrops* ^^;;;; Sorry, just a crazy Link fanatic. ;_; I couldn't get a picture of Link at DragonCon! *wails**blinks**sweatdrops again* Really sorry. Before I let this fanfic begin, my favorites are Shiek, Link, and Zelda. *SPOILER WARNING* Yes, though technically Sheik IS Zelda, she's just cooler AS Sheik. However, Link is, and ALWAYS will be my hero! ^^ *nods* I just want to be like Sheik. Oh, and if you like roleplaying, go look up an rpg called Land of Hyrule RPG on yahoo groups. Mysterious Sheik may not be around as she is busy irl with college and FINALLY typing up and posting her infinetely vast fanfics...but you should have fun with whoever's in charge there nowadays. Oh, and be nice to the young Sheikah called Jin, for she shall surely cut your heart out otherwise! =P Yah, and Jin will not even know this fic exists. Alright, enjoy the fic, you LoZ fanatics!  
  
There it stood, as bright as day, exactly as he had been told. He still finds it hard to believe that there could even be three full moons in a single month, but as the handsome youth looks up at the heavens, a full and round, silver moon shines directly above the temple. Indeed, the moonlight made the Hidden Temple appear.  
  
"The Sage was right. Well, I better get this over with. The temple will disappear in the morning.", the blonde youth speaks to himself. Adjusting his forest green tunic, he pats his sword and bodly enters the temple.  
  
The temple was still very dusty inside, showing the age and use. A bit damp, but nothing that posed a threat. The elven youth turns the corner only to halt suddenly at the edge of a great chasm. "There has to be a way across." Looking down at his feet, he sees a small dart, a dagger. Examining the dagger he notices a small piece of rope. Looking towards the other end of the chasm, there hung the rest of the rope. The rope had obviously been cut.  
  
"Cut. Apparently someone doesn't want me to continue my quest." Taking note of the approximate distance, the youth moves back around the corner to get a running start. Running as fast as he can and making a dangerously sharp turn, the young elf leaps across the gap. His jump is slightly too short, but fortunately he manages to grab the other end of the rope before falling into the abyss below.  
  
Pulling himself up to the top, the youth procedes to the next obstacle. He soon finds himself in a narrow corridor. To his left and right are two long chasms, significantly larger than the first. At the end of each is a small portion of tile floor upon which a lit torch stood. In front of him is an open door leading to the next room.  
  
Before he could take a single step further, a strong gale enters the room knocking him back a few feet. After regaining his posture, he sees the door closed and the torches blown out. The young hero approaches the door and examines it. The door is sealed shut, no handle nore keyhole. There was no way to open it!  
  
"The torches! They must be a trigger to the door." Although he had discovered how to open the door, he had no means to light the torches. Looking around, the handsome elf searches for clues. After a few moments, he spots a dull red seed on the ground. Picking it up, he nearly drops it, shocked at how warm it felt even through his gloves!  
  
"Whoever else is here must have used this strange seed to light the torches...but with one seed, how can I do the same?" After pondering on a solution, the youth tears a strap off of his tunic to create a sling. Afterall, he couldn't risk burning his belt! He nods to himself and breaks the seed in half. Flames suddenly erupt from the open ends of each half and he quickly slings one into his sling and towards the right torch. Unable to hold the other half, he flings it to the left. Miraculously, both halves hit the opposite torches and the door opens!  
  
As he enters the next room, he notices yer another chasm. "Isn't this getting old?", he sighs holding his head. The room is a perfect square with a rectangular chasm. The door was on the other side of the room and jumping wasn't an option...or was it? Apparently there is a moving platform in the room, and with any luck, he could use it to get across.  
  
Waiting patiently for the platform to reach him, he hears a faint sound coming from the next room. The platform arrives and he jumps on it hearing a faint "HUP!" As the platform reaches the other side, he makes one last jump and opens the door to the next room.  
  
The final room is incrediblely huge. It appears to be much larger than even the temple itself! It is filled with large and tall blocks of varying heights spaced far apart from each other. About a mile above where he stood and to the far left was a long platform that appears to lead into yet another room.  
  
"HUHUUUP!", calls his attention as a shadowy figure leaps from one of the blocks and onto the platform. It appears to be some sort of ninja, dressed in a tight dark blue suit with tall boots that nearly blends into the pants. The figure is also wrapped up in white bandages around the arms and face. The ninja heads towards the next room only to be forced back by a Minotaur!  
  
The Minotaur rears of on its hind legs and in a single blink, the ninja peirces its stomach with several daggers. They had no effect. Its front legs come crashing down, but the ninja manages to roll away. The Minotaur lunges foward with its horns, forcing the ninja off the ledge. Fortunately, the ninja grabs hold of the ledge, but the beast had no intentions of letting the shadow warrior climb back up. It rears once more to crush the intruder's hands. Quicker than lightning, the figure pushes upward and does a backflip over the Minotaur before its powerful hooves came crashing down.  
  
It is obvious that the ninja didn't stand a change against such a strong opponent. The ninja quickly decides on the best course of action...retreat. Taking an unhuman leap from the platform, the stealthy individual effortless floats down to the floor where the elven youth is watching. Getting up from a bent-kneed landing, the ninja makes eye contact with the handsome youth. Serious blue eyes meet the gaze of young and hopeful blue eyes.  
  
The elven youth's eyes averts away from the ninja as he notices the Minotaur lep across to where they are. "Behind you!", he exclaims in warning. As he warns the ninja, it rolls under the youth's legs and stops behind him. "Hey!", the young elf exclaims, but quickly draws his sword as the Minotaur's attention is now drawn to him.  
  
The monster charges foward and suddenly freezes at the sound of a *POP*! "Hit him now!", the ninja orders in a muffled voice. Quickly, the elf thrusts foward his sword stabbing the Minotaur's chest. Just as soon as he struck, the boss came to. Fortunately, another "pop" halted the beast. "Do not rest!", the ninja speaks again. This pattern of fighting continues until the Minotaur finally collapses and fades away. All that is left is an oddly shaped black key on a silver string that had been around its neck.  
  
The youth bends down and picks up the necklace and clutches it in his left hand in triumph. "That is mine.", the ninja states coldly. "It's mine! I defeated the Minotaur!" "I do believe that key belongs to me.", an elderly voice speaks.  
  
The two turn around as a round and mostly bald sage walks into the room. "Sage!", the youth exclaims while the ninja simultaneously exclaims, "Grandfather!"   
  
"Ah, I should have known that you would come here. I've come to expect such of you.", the sage addresses the ninja.  
  
"Sage, if you were able to get through this dungeon, how come you hired me to get the key?"   
  
"You did not, did you?!"   
  
"I certainly could not have defeated the guardian in my old age. That is why I needed your youthful courage and strength."  
  
"I suppose that makes sense.", the youth comments.   
  
"As promised, here is your payment.", the sage speaks handing the young man a large sum of sparkling crystals in exchange for the key.  
  
"Grandfather! That was your life savings!", the ninja protests.   
  
"Ah, forgive my rudeness. Allow me to properly introduce you two. This is my granddaughter, Sheik."   
  
"That's a girl?!" "Ignorant...arrogant...egotistical...moronic...."   
  
"Sheik, please be polite."   
  
"That can't be a girl."   
  
Sheik's eyes narrow to a slit and glare angerly at the green garbed elf. "Ah, and this handsome young man is the adventurer, Link."  
  
Sheik lifts up the hair out of her eyes and focuses her attention on the elven youth named Link. With a brow raised, she's clearly shocked by the name. "Ah, how quick you are to adjust your attitude over a simple name."   
  
"He...he is not....!" "He is not from Hyrule. He does not know our legends.", the sage informs.   
  
"Don't talk like I'm not here. I do know a little about your legends. My name's considered sacred here, but its a very popular name outside of Hyrule."   
  
"It's not just sacred...it's legendary. It's a prophecy. Our legends detail the adventures of a great hero by the name of Link and fortell the great legacy of his return whenever Hyrule is in peril.", Sheik explians.  
  
"So you think I'm this great hero?", Link demands.   
  
"Of course not! You are clearly just a namesake. There has been no princess in Hyrule for at least a thousand years."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?"   
  
"The two are, if you wil pardon the pun, linked together. Without Zelda, Link cannot exist.", Sheik clarifies.   
  
"But I exist!", Link protests.   
  
"Do you plan on saving the world from evil?"   
  
"No.", Link admits. "You are simply a namesake.   
  
Did you not say your name is common outside of Hyrule? You need not worry, you are not the Link destined to save Hyrule or the world."  
  
"Ah, speaking of saving Hyrule," the old sage begins, "apparently the King's son has been kidnapped."   
  
"What?!", Sheik exclaims.   
  
"You have not heard? Ah, you had been waiting for the temple all day so you did not hear."   
  
"Hey, excuse me for interupting, but isn't this temple suppose to disappear come morning?"   
  
"Ah, yes and I believe the sun should be rising in a few moments.", the sage comments turning to face Link.   
  
"Shouldn't we be going then?"   
  
"Ah, yes we should."   
  
"Hey, girl...she's gone!", Link comments seeing Sheik already gone.  
  
"We need to go.", the sage informs and begins to walk towards the exit.   
  
The youth quickly follows. As they leave the temple, the sun begins to rise. Link turns back towards the entrance to look for any sign of Sheik. "Did she...get out?", he wonders as the temple fades away and vanishes.  
  
Suddenly blue eyes met blue eyes yet again as Sheik leaps down before him.   
  
"Ah, Sheik always does that.", her grandfather informs a seemingly shocked Link.   
  
Sheik looks up and away from Link's eyes and over his shoulder towards her grandfather.   
  
"Grandfather, will you travel alone?"   
  
"I must. Only alone can I enter the Temple of Secrets."  
  
"Temple of Secrets?", Link inquires.   
  
"The Temple of Secrets is a place of infinete knowledge and wisdom.", Shiek informs.   
  
"The Temple was built a very long time ago to store all knowledge and history, both past and future. The temple lies in a farway kingdom, old, forgotten, and left in ruins. Evil men wanted to possess its knowledge for the wrong reasons. A great war broke out and the entire kingdom was left in ruin, save for the Temple of Secrets itself. The last Sage of Secrets was said to have took this very key and built the Hidden Temple so that never again, could that tragedy be repeated."  
  
"Grandfather, this temple sounds very powerful. Is its knowledge really more powerful than the Triforces?", Shiek wonders.   
  
"That remains to be seen. However, this I am certain, that the power of the whole Triforce far exceeds whatever wisdom that the temple may bestow."  
  
Link lets out a disinterested yawn.  
  
"I wish you luck. I too shall be setting out on a quest."   
  
"Ah, my dear Sheik, will you really attempt to rescue the young prince?" Sheik nods silently.   
  
"I see it in your eyes. I cannot stop you." "You can actually see her eyes?", Link remarks only to be shunned by Sheik.   
  
"I feel that it is my duty to do so.", Sheik replies in earnest.   
  
"I understand. Link, I have nothing more to give you, but could you please travel with my granddaughter? She will not be much trouble and I am certain that the King will reward you.", the wise old sage requests.  
  
"Trouble...oh I have a feeling she will be a lot of trouble, but I accept.", Link comments.   
  
"Thank you Link."   
  
"Speaking of Sheik, she seems to have disappeared again."   
  
"Ah, indeed she has. She does that quite often. In fact, she fancies herself a Sheikah, as did her namesake pretend.", Sheiks grandfather notes.   
  
"Never there when you want him. Always there when you need him. Harp in hand, the light hidden in shadow. A song to play, and love to share."   
  
"Where did that come from?", Link wonders.   
  
"Whereever she is now. Again, I thank you. I shall leave the two of you to your quest.", the sage speaks and sets out by foot.  
  
"A mystery, but yet the truth is known. The secret felt, the love grown. Never pausing, least time like a bird doth fly. Wishing in his heart, longing for a dream, that which in light can e'er be seen. The longful wait hath ended, but brought together, quickly torn apart."   
  
"What are you talking about?"   
  
"Legends you cannot know.", Sheik replies.   
  
"Whatever. Shouldn't we be looking for the prince?"  
  
"Late is it that now the sun should rise. Wear and heavy are the morning eyes.", Sheik comments.   
  
"What is that suppose to mean?"   
  
"Let us get some rest." "Good idea, but where?", Link asks.   
  
"My grandfather's home in Miyamoto Village. It is not far.", Sheik informs.   
  
"Well I'd have to see you to know where to go." As soon as he finishes speaking, a hand grabs his shoulder. Turning around, he sees Sheik. 


	2. Cast Info

The Legend of Zelda  
  
Truth Behind the Legend  
  
Cast Profile  
  
Name:Link  
  
Race:Elf  
  
Age:Approximately 18  
  
Occupation:Unlikely hero...aka mercenary  
  
Personality:A generally nice guy with a bit of a sarcastic tongue. He is filled with youthful vigour.  
  
Abilities:Link is a fighter type who balances strength with agility. He tries to be flexible and very innovative.  
  
Unique attributes:Link can use ANY type of weapon and is quicker to adapt to various situations than most.  
  
Weapon of choice:Longsword  
  
Information:Link is a mercenary from outside of Hyrule, garbed in a green tunic. Although he may look like the hero of Hyrule legend, both he and Shiek insist that is not the case. Link works as a mercenary, taking odd jobs and helping people whenever he can, however, once he has some money to survive on, he is very prone to lend others a hand with no personal gain. Despite his caring nature, he is slightly reluctant to take on obviously heroic jobs. Of course, escorting a troublesome young lady on her quest to find the King's son isn't heroic to Link, although actually questing himself to find the son would be.  
  
Name:Sheik  
  
Race:Hylian elf that pretends to be a Sheikah  
  
Age:Approximately 18  
  
Occupation:Would you believe, bard?  
  
Personality:Sheik is much more serious than Link, but has a very gentle and tender side hidden behind her ninja-like exterior. She can be very emotional and makes a point out of doing good without reward.  
  
Abilities:Sheik can perform minor tricks such as disappearing and reappearing out of seemingly nowhere.  
  
Unique attributes:Sheik is extremely more agile than Link and can leap significantly larger distances than virtually anyone. She can practically fly in the air and is very graceful. She has a very weak curative ability.  
  
Weapon of choice:Daggers. Unlike Link, Sheik can only handle very light weapons. She's also good at weilding a bow, but daggers, blow-guns, and small bows are all Sheik can handle.  
  
Information:The granddaughter of the Sage of Legends, Sheik fully believes in the stories passed down through the legends. In fact, she secretly dreams of going on great adventures herself and perhaps finding her own legenday hero. ^.~ Sheik originally doesn't get along with Link because her grandfather hired him to get the key and spent his life savings doing so. She isn't fond of his sharp tongue either. Also note the way Sheik talks. Unlike Link, she and her grandfather do not use contractions, showing a bit of upperclass refinement. Oh...Shiek doesn't like dresses...she perfers her good old Sheikah attire.  
  
Name:Rioma  
  
Race:Hylian, appears to be human, unlike Sheik  
  
Age:"Ah, was I suppose to remember that?"  
  
Occupation:Sage of Legends  
  
Personality:A very quite and friendly old man who really cares about his granddaughter, but knows she must learn for herself. It is skeptical of the legends whose job it is to maintain and pass down.  
  
Abilities:Nothing in particular. He has great curative ability.  
  
Unique attributes:Oddly, none, although he may have a slight telepathic connection with his granddaughter.  
  
Weapon of choice:Staff, although he doesn't weild it as a weapon.  
  
Information:Rioma is the Sage of Legends, whose duty is to maintain, perserve, and pass down the Legends of Hyrule to the next generation. Both he and his granddaughter have studied the legends, but he looks for more logical explanations whereas Sheik simply feels that they are truth. He is skeptical of the stories he has to pass down, and looks for clues as to what really happened. He believed that the several stories of Link and Zelda are simply retellings and different variations. He also believes that the stories are highly exaggerated and that Link may have helped the Hyrule Family in only a minor yet significant way, and not by defeating a powerful wizard as the legends often suggest. He however, does acknowledge in magic and power, especially of the Triforce. Oh, and he says "Ah" a lot.  
  
Name:Aoihama  
  
Race:Half-Zora (Ocean, not river)  
  
Age:Around 18  
  
Occupation:Diver  
  
Personality:Shy and polite.  
  
Abilities:Breathe underwater for a limited duration and swim at fast speeds.  
  
Unique attributes:Underwater travel and the ability to live both on land and in the sea. Unfortunately, he cannot breathe underwater indefinately.  
  
Weapon of choice:None yet  
  
Information:Born to a Zora mother and human father, he found at a young age that he could not live either on land or sea. He dwells by himself in a small cavern on a beach.  
  
Name:Rokku  
  
Race:Goron  
  
Age:Middle-aged  
  
Occupation:Weaponsmith  
  
Personality:Gruff, but very friendly. He likes to keep things as simple as possible.  
  
Abilities:Weaponsmithing  
  
Unique attributes:Superior strength. There is almost nothing he cannot lift.  
  
Weapon of choice:Great warhammer  
  
Information:He set out to seek his fortune in the great city, but has thus far been unsuccessful. 


	3. Chapter Two

Truth Behind the Legend  
  
Chapter Two. Visions of the Past.  
  
Link looks briefly at his surroundings. Rioma, the Sage of Legends and grandfather of Sheik, was clearly a simple man. The room in which he now lay contains only that which was necessary; a bed, a dresser of clothes, and a shelf full of books and scrolls. The bed is also simple; a straw mat cover with a few sheets and blankets and only a single pillow. Tired, the elven youth closes his eyes and drifts into slumber.  
  
Sheik closes the door to her grandfather's room. Link apparently didn't notice her, but he did seem very tired. Silently, she creeps into her own room. It is of a similar design to her grandfather's, but more suited to a girl's needs. Her mat is made of layers of quilted cloth atop of which are sheets and blankets accompanied by two pillows. Instead of a dresser, Sheik has a closet. She also has a shelf full of books, but whereas the topics varied in her grandfather's room, her books were limited to the legends of Zelda and Hyrule.  
  
Sheik pulls up the covers and slides under them. She does not bother to even change her clothes. Pulling up her sheets, she wraps herself up and drifts into slumber.  
  
A tall and shadowy figure rises up from the desert atop a dark stted. Riding out of the desert, the sky turns gray and lightning flashes with every hoofstep. The man is tall, possibly seven feet tall off of his horse. His skin is green and his hair, red like blood. His eyes are colder than the winter and his heart, blacker than night. Sheik is afraid, very afraid.  
  
A light appears from the forest, breaking through the stormy skies. Sheik feels hope wash over her as she admired the lifht. Stepping out of the forest is a small boy, no older than ten. Garbed in green, he is accompanied by a tiny fairy. As he walks, the light seems to follow him as well.  
  
A sudden flash of light erupts in Sheik's vision, fading to black then dissolving into another image. There is a great arena surrounded by a blazing ring of fire. In the ring is a hideous and HUGE reptile-like monster. Sheik's heart is quickly enveloped by fear and sorrow. However, in the ring is another. A handsome young elf, about 17 years of age, fights the beast.  
  
"This cannot be! I cannot be seeing this!", Sheik exclaims in shock. Sheik turns around and finds herself in a castle. "Now where am I?" Looking around, Sheik notices how small the room is. It looks like a makeshift bedroom. There is a chest with a sword thrusted into it, a painting of a very beautiful and young blonde maiden, and a podium on which a glowing blue triangle rest. "Is that...the Triforce?"  
  
Sheik shakes her head. She knows that what she sees could not be real. "This is not real!" Sheik shakes her head in protest. However, she remains in the room. Curious, and unable to discover any way to wake up, she reaches out to touch the blue Triforce. A veil of blue light surrounds Sheik and a sense of familiarity washes over her.  
  
Sheik sits up in her bed, her heart pounding rapidly. "Are you alright? I heard you yelling.", Link speaks from Sheik's bedside with concern.   
  
"I am fine!", Sheik retorts and turns over in her bed.   
  
"You sure? It sounded like you were having a nightmare.", Link comments with a deeop concern.   
  
"I am fine. Please go back to bed."   
  
"Fine! I'm going, I'm going. Shesh, you're so stubborn! You didn't even change into night clothes!"   
  
"It is not night."   
  
"Bed clothes then. Shesh, I'm going.", Link speaks walking out of her room wearing white boxers with red hearts on them.   
  
"Nice undergarments!", Sheik giggles with a hidden blush.   
  
"Hey! Don't LOOK!", Link protests blushing profusely.   
  
He quickly picks up the pace.  
  
Come noontime, Sheik and Link are both awake and dressed. Sheik and Link, are of course, wearing an identical attire to what they were earlier. Sheik prepares brunch and has Link help set up the small wooden table. "Want to talk about it?", Link queries as Sheik sits down to eat.   
  
"No."   
  
Link picks up his fork and pokes the eggs a few times.   
  
"Hey Sheik, how are you suppose to eat with your face covered?"   
  
Link breifly looks up from his meal only to see Sheik take her empty plate into the small kitchen.   
  
"Hurry up and eat."   
  
"Hey, that was fast.", Link comments.   
  
"Hey is for horses." Link frowns and finishes his meal.  
  
"Well, where shall we go now? We don't exactly have any clues as to where the prince is or even as to who kidnapped him.", Link notes.  
  
"Seek first, where it all began."   
  
"Huh?"  
  
Sheik sighs. Link would take some getting used to her riddles.  
  
"Hyrule Castle.", she informed.  
  
"Yah, but would they even let us in? I'm sure security's extra tight now and they've probably had a lot of adventurers asking for clues.", Link notes.  
  
"The front door is not the only door.", Sheik replies simply.  
  
"So you suggest we sneak in? How are we going to get past the guards?"  
  
"With silence." 


	4. Chapter Three

Truth Behind the Legend  
  
Chapter Three. The Quest Begins.  
  
Link stands alone on the path that leads to Hyrule Castle. Sheik is nowhere to be seen. Link taps his boot impatiently. A hand taps him on the shoulder. "I've studied the pattern of the guards. I know how best to sneak in."  
  
"Then lead the way, Sheik.", Link wispers and nods. 


End file.
